Bedding Bass Alert: When Will It Start?

Thursday

Jan 24, 2013 at 6:23 AM

Central Florida fishermen are anticipating the first wave of bedding bass. It hasn't happened yet. And it usually takes place before most fishermen know about it. Fishermen have been on the lookout, patrolling shallow areas inside the grass lines looking for beds.

By DEL MILLIGANTHE LEDGER

Central Florida fishermen are anticipating the first wave of bedding bass.

It hasn't happened yet.

And it usually takes place before most fishermen know about it.

Fishermen have been on the lookout, patrolling shallow areas inside the grass lines looking for beds.

Reports this week indicate that they're finding plenty of beds, but they're being monitored by smaller male bass.

Females are in bedding areas or just off grass lines, staging and waiting until the urge to spawn hits them.

It's possible that some trophy-class bass will be caught, and hopefully released, this weekend.

The full moon is Saturday, although the water temperature is a little on the cool side at 64-65 degrees.

But an uptick of a degree or two could be all it takes to move them to the beds.

Lake Toho is usually one of the first spots for 10-pound-plus bedding bass on the Kissimmee Chain, typically ahead of Lake Kissimmee.

But if double-digit bass are planning to move in, they're not giving away any hints.

Fishing has been tough for the past week, with a few bass in the 8- and 9-pound class scattered on area lakes. Most bites are bucks 12-16 inches.

There were 30-pound-plus stringers on Lake Toho in tournaments the past two weekends, and four bass close to 9 pounds on Sunday. But those didn't come sight-fishing on beds.

It is also likely that many bass will bed in slightly deeper water, out of view of anglers.

Shaw Grigsby Jr. of Gainesville once boated a 13.36-pounder on Toho on a flat he knew held big bass this time of year, but he couldn't see the pick-up.

Bass pros will be on the Kissimmee Chain next week, and they always solve the mystery of what big fish are doing.

The question is, will it start happening before they get here?

SOUTHERN OPEN NEXT WEEK OUT OF LAKE TOHO

The first Bassmaster Southern Open tournament of the year will be on the Kissimmee Chain out of Lake Toho Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.

The three-day tournament out of Lakefront Park will feature many of the sport's top bass pros.

Weigh-ins begin at 3 p.m. the first two days at Lakefront Park. The final weigh-in will be at Bass Pro Shops in Orlando at 4 p.m.

2 1/2-POUND SPECK ON CRESCENT LAKE

Crescent Lake bolstered its reputation for jumbo speckled perch in the Crappie USA tournament on Saturday.

Tim Eberly of Margate and Teresa Cole of Leesburg caught the largest speck at 2.53 pounds.

George Parker of West Palm Beach and Daryl Cole of Leesburg won the event, averaging 1.90 pounds per speck with the limit of seven perch.

The top three teams had over 13 pounds.

Parker and Cole, members of the Florida Crappie Club, caught more than 50 specks fishing in 8-11 feet with blue/chartreuse Charlie Brewer Slider jigs right on the bottom in the north end.

Eberly and Teresa Cole were also in the north end, working blue/chartreuse AWD jigs in 10 feet.

Scott and Billy Williams of Cochran, Ga., took second with 13.11 pounds.

The third-place team of William Hinson and Joey Hilton of South Carolina produced a 2.39-pounder, the second-largest speck.

The lake is at Crescent City, not far from the St. Johns River north of I-4.

BASS TOURNAMENTS

Joe Ventrello topped a 30.67-pound stringer with an 8.93-pound bass to dominate the first Toho Marine Elite One-Man Trail tournament on the Kissimmee Chain out of Lake Toho Saturday. Don Eady finished second with 21.49 pounds. Jesse Tacoronte placed third with 20.54 pounds. Jimmie Murphy netted the biggest bass at 9.35 pounds and took fourth with 19.25 pounds, followed by Rich Howes with 15.22 pounds.

Howie Dixon and Clifton Bernard won the Sunday Open Series tournament on the south Winter Haven chain with 20 pounds, 1 ounce, and also produced the biggest bass at 7 pounds, 6 ounces. Blake Smith and Brandon Smith took second with 16 pounds, 1 ounce. Steve Ash and Cory Ash finished third with 15 pounds. Frank Sylvester and Bruce Bruckner had 13 3/4 pounds for fourth.

Tony Bartels and Steve Daniels won the Xtreme Bass Kissimmee Division tournament out of Camp Mack on Sunday with 20.13 pounds. Jimmie Murphy and Joe Clements finished second with 18.10 pounds. Rich Howes and Barry Bass tied for third with 17.99 pounds. Howes boated the biggest bass at 6.95 pounds.

Robert Wiggins and CJ Wright combined for 11.70 pounds to win the Bartow High School Yellow Jackets Fishing Team tournament on Lake Hatchineha Saturday. Steven Singletary and Austin Anderson finished second with 9.90 pounds thanks to Singletary's 6.05-pounder, best of the day. Luke Ferguson and Hunter Sullivan placed third with 8.40 pounds, followed by Dustin Bozeman and Hunter Gadd with 7.20 pounds. Gabe Gelb and Jarod Gadd had 4.45 pounds for fifth.

Mike McFarland won the first Open Big Bass Tournament on the south Winter Haven chain Sunday with a 6.65-pound bass. The trail has a one-fish limit. Jay Morgan finished second with a 6.35-pounder. Dalton Hart and Todd String were third with a 5.80-pounder. Marty Dukes and Gary Carter had a 4.35-pounder for fourth.

[ Del Milligan's freshwater fishing column appears Thursdays in The Ledger. He can be reached at del.milligan@theledger.com or 863-802-7555. Milligan's blog, Central Florida Fishology, can be found at theledger.com home page. ]